Portable panel sports floor systems are typically comprised of individual panels which when positioned correctly and attached to adjacent panels, form a sports surface for activities such as basketball, volleyball, aerobics and dance. The typical mechanism for one panel to attach to the adjacent panel varies and includes such means as countersunk machine screws in the surface of the panels, subfloor locking pins and latches, as well as machine screws placed in strategically placed subfloor brackets.
A portable sectional flooring systems such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,141,392 to Schneider which depicts individual panels which form an integrated floor when connected. Panel to panel connection is achieved by manually angling, aligning, and forcing panels into connecting positions. Disconnecting panels requires manual lifting and angling for panels to swing out of alignment.
Another portable panel connecting design is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,662 to Niese. The Niese patent incorporates set screws which are exposed at the perimeter surface of the panels. The panels must be aligned and forced into position prior to engaging the set screws which bind adjacent panels together. A system such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,428 to Niese typifies the basic design of common portable sports floors currently in use.
The Niese design and other portable panel systems commonly used today are comprised of individual panels set in a staggered pattern to provide offset integration. Common panels typically provide a sports surface such as hardwood flooring which is attached by means of mechanical fasteners, normally flooring staples or cleats, to the subfloor. The subfloor often includes plywood sheeting as an upper subfloor surface which is mechanically attached to a lower series of sleepers such as softwood runners.
Resiliency typically provided in hardwood sports floor systems incorporate individual pads manufactured in a variety of elastomeric materials. Resilient pads are of different shapes and sizes and is commonly manufactured through molding or extrusion. Examples of pads currently in use below sports floor systems are described in patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,857 to Peterson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,434 to Niese, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,369,710 to Randjelovic.
There are many other types of resilient pads currently in use, and these are commonly attached to the underside of the hardwood subfloor system Inclusion of resilient pads in portable floor systems require additional precautions in regards to the effects of panel movement during assembly and disassembly. U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,526 to Niese, as well as U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,516 to Koller, describe a design which provides resilient pads incorporated in portable floor systems.
It is the object of the invention to provide a substantially improved method for assembly and disassembly of panels which comprise a portable sports floor system. An object of the invention includes a more efficient apparatus and manner of installation which significantly reduces labor necessary during assembly and is more efficient during disassembly, also significantly reducing labor.
Another object of this invention includes a manner of assembly and disassembly which significantly improves the handling and reduces wear to the flooring panels.
It is further an object of the invention to provide a sports system including a manner of integrated resiliency. This object of the invention includes designs to protect resilient material incorporated into the portable panels from negative effects associated with assembly, use, disassembly, and storage.
It is known that portable panels require placement and alignment prior to connecting to adjacent panels. As described in the Niese patent, installers must hit the side of the floor section with a large rubber mallet to move them into proper position. The procedure of striking the side edges of the panels to provide alignment is detrimental to the integrity of the floor system and causes unwanted wear to the panels.
The description of the invention which follows illustrates a design which mechanically aligns portable panels without the use of mallets or other non preferred force. This procedure eliminates the wear and labor required to forcefully align each panel. The invention provides mechanical alignment while at the same time providing connection to adjacent panels.
Current designs which require force during placement also require force during removal. The description of the invention shall illustrate a manner of mechanically disassembling portable panels. This process is a time saving method and eliminates the necessity of mallets or pry bars for removal of panels prior to transfer and storage.
Portable panels require correct alignment along the opposing side and end of adjacent panels. The placement of known system panels requires maneuvering in two directions. The invention incorporates a design which introduces concurrent movement to both the side edge and end edge during the mechanical installation process.
Also, the mechanical installation process can be performed from an end edge that does not abut an adjustemnt panel therby eliminating installation problems associated with access to the abutting ends.
To achieve the preferred attachment of portable panels the invention provides a concealed mechanical drive design which when activated draws adjacent panels tightly together at the side joints.
The invention further provides a means to mechanically push panels apart at side joints again by activating the concealed drive design.
The preferred method of the invention provides panel-to-panel end attachments which also draw the panels together as the concealed mechanical drive mechanism is activated
The invention provides release of the end attachment by again activating the concealed mechanical drive.
Since the invention preferably incorporates elastomeric material in the form of resilient pads, it is important that adjacent panels deflect in unison to prevent vertical ridges from occurring in the floor's surface during sports activities. The mating of the side and end edges during panel-to-panel connection requires particularly tight integration to form a singular reaction to active loads. As the panel side and end mating tolerance must be minimal to accomplish the preferred interaction it increases the invention's effectiveness of drawing together and interlocking panels through mechanical means rather than manual force. The latter of which can negatively influence the tolerance required to assure that adjacent panels move in unison when one or the other panel is deflected.
Resilient panel systems requiring such tight interlocking tolerance to provide preferred and even deflection at panel joints are more difficult to disassemble. The invention provides a mechanical method to disassemble panels, again without the manual force associated with current resilient portable panel design.
The first preferred method of portable panel construction consists of an upper layer of flooring such as tongue and groove random length hard maple, although any practical wood specie is an acceptable floor surface. The flooring surface may also include square edge wooden planks or a synthetic surface.
The sports surface is preferably attached to an upper subfloor of plywood or composite board sheeting. The most preferred attachment of the surface flooring is by means of flooring cleats or staples, although the surface flooring such as square edge wooden planks and synthetic material would preferably be attached by an adhesive layer.
The preferred method of the invention includes attachment of the upper subfloor to lower subfloor supports of nominal two inch by three inch softwood runners. While the most preferred method of attaching the upper subfloor sheeting to the softwood runners is by means of staples, adhesive may also be provided between the upper and lower subfloor panels.
The first preferred method of the invention includes isolated resilient pads attached to the underside of the softwood runners. The resilient pads may be of any type of elastomeric material and provided in a wide variety of shapes. The resilient pads are preferred to be attached by means of staples or adhesive.
It is further preferred to provide a partial encasement of the softwood runners to protect the resilient pads. The partial encasement is designed in a manner to provide a full rigid surface for support between the portable panels and substrate, and to allow wanted deflection of the floor system when impacted by athletic loads. Unlike the Niese and Kohler designs resiliency can be added to the floor system at a later date should the owner decide to initially purchase a standard non padded system. This feature is provided by attachment of resilient pads and extruded encasement later described through drawing details.
The standard portable panel of the first preferred construction is normally four feet by eight feet in size, although nominal four feet by four feet panels are also required to start alternating panel rows, thereby creating a staggered pattern of panels in the floor system. The eight foot edge of a standard panel is referred to as the side edge and includes a synthetic tongue or groove encasement on the edge of the upper subfloor sheeting. The tongue and groove which oppose each other on adjacent panels are drawn tightly together by mechanical assembly. The playing surface or top surface extends over the tongue and groove located below, thereby concealing the pieces when the floor system is in use.
The four foot edge of a standard panel is referred to as the end edge, and includes either male or female interlocking attachments connected to the lower subfloor runners. The female attachments are slightly angled to accept the male flange attachments as the panel side edges are drawn together. This design allows the panel to be drawn tightly in two directions simultaneously thereby providing both side edge and end edge integration. The playing surface also extends beyond the end edge connectors also concealing them from view when the floor system is in use.
The first preferred embodiment of the invention includes a driving mechanism located in slots of particularly located runners. The driving mechanism is constructed in a manner to activate a latching device forward or backward by means of a standard power tool, either electric, manual or battery powered. The latching device in the first preferred method is a simple hook extending from the drive mechanism. The hook is easily latched to opposing plates strategically located in adjacent panel side edges. The hook is attached to the driving mechanism in a manner which maintains its position without revolving as the drive mechanism is engaged and turning. This design allows adjacent panels to be drawn together or separated mechanically as preferred. These descriptions and other teachings of the invention will be further illustrated in the drawings.